When Eden was born, I had a huge infection and a very high fever. For a week or so, I was not allowed to breastfeed her. In the nursery, they gave her a bottle every 4 hours, like clockwork. We stayed in the hospital like this for 10 days. Once I was released home, everyone told me I wouldn’t be able to breastfeed. I was so disappointed.
I quickly decided, “No way! I will breastfeed!”. Eden was so used to the bottle, I had to use a plastic nipple but I persisted and she breastfed beautifully. No problems at all. I was even extra lucky. She was used to the 4 hours cycle, so breastfeeding was easy and on a schedule. Let me tell you, having 3.5 hours of sleep in between feeds for a new mom was a luxury.
During the time I was in the hospital, I went to listen to the nurses’ tips and suggestions. One of them said, 10 minutes from each breast is more than enough. I had this in my mind the whole time. When other moms were never sure if their baby was full or not, I said “10 minutes from each side is more than enough”. Breastfeeding was 20 minutes like clockwork, and I was sure she had enough.
Eden was a huge baby. She was born weighing 3kg on the first day of the 36th week. She was full-term and she ate like clockwork. She was so big that she was off the charts. Some people told me my milk was too fat for her and that I should stop breastfeeding her. Which is silly because there is no such thing as too fat breast milk.
My suggestion is: if you can do it, breastfeed! Breastfeeding makes life much easier. And try to get into a routine. Avoid breastfeeding the baby every time he or she cries. Babies often cry for other reasons beside being hungry. I always had a bottle with warm (previously boiled or mineral) water ready. Often, it was all she needed.
Some people say that babies should drink only milk and not water. I think they do not take into consideration the fact that we live in air-conditioned environments and we are thirsty as well. If you live in a warm climate (we spent a few years in Thailand and Singapore), feel free to adapt any baby-raising tips you find in a Western book.
Make sure to have at least a 2-hour break between feeds and extend them as much as you can (up to 4 hours). A baby that eats every 3.5 to 4 hours is the easiest baby on earth. At night, try to extend the gap to 6 hours or more by breastfeeding just before bedtime.
Try breastfeeding. It is a fantastic experience and a great bonding opportunity. If it drives you nuts, or you cannot do it for a physical reason, give yourself a break. Remember that a mom who has gone nuts is much worse than feeding from a bottle.
Enjoy your baby!
Ronit
